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Causes of Underaged Smoking

On the average 1,200 people in the United States die each day from smoking. More than 80 percent of them started smoking by age 18. Smoking reduces the average life span by almost 12 years. Peer pressure, experimentation, rebellion and copying of role models are some of the causes for underaged smoking. Understanding these causes can help keep future generations away from nicotine addiction.

  1. Peer Pressure

    • Teenagers sometimes are pressured to start smoking by friends who already smoke. Being urged to fit in eventually leads many to try a cigarette. Nicotine causes neurons to release excess dopamine, which leads to a temporary euphoria. If their first experience is pleasant, the teenager might continue smoking, and nicotine addiction will set in.

    Imitating Adults, Media and Friends

    • For years, popular media showed stars who smoked in a positive light. Teenagers look up to these stars and seek to imitate everything about them. Other role models, such as parents or adult friends, might also smoke. Teenagers can start smoking to emulate these role models.

    Experimentation

    • Teenagers sometimes go through an experimentation phase, trying different drugs that their parents kept them from earlier. A shroud of mystique and curiosity can surround these forbidden substances. Cigarettes are not difficult to obtain, and they can quickly lead to addiction once a teenager tries them.

    Rebellion and Independence

    • Teenagers sometimes attempt to distance themselves from their parents and other children. Smoking is primarily an adult activity, and it might be seen as a quick path to an adult image. Teenagers might also rebel against their parents and authority figures who continually tell them not to smoke. The fact that they aren't allowed to smoke can make them want to smoke.

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